This study builds on the investigators' ongoing research of gender and ethnic differences in nutritional self-management of older adults in two rural North Carolina counties (RO1 AG 13469) to investigate the meanings and beliefs rural older adults have for food, diet and the relationship of food and diet to health. This study addresses the problem of using such information to adapt existing dietary instruments to more accurately collect nutrient and food intake data. This study will: (1) document older rural adults' meanings of foods and their cognitive models of nutrition; (2) compare and contrast food meanings and cognitive models of nutrition by ethnic group (African American, Native American, European American); and (3) identify cultural and socioeconomic predictors of differences in food meanings and cognitive models of nutrition that result in health disparities. Based on what is learned in the first three specific aims, this study will: (4) use the food and diet meanings to adapt two existing dietary intake instruments to be more culturally appropriate for this population; and (5) evaluate the new dietary intake instruments. The research is divided into 2 phases. Phase I data collection includes individual in-depth and group interviews. In-depth individual interviews will be completed with 48 African American, European American and Native American females and males aged 70 and older who reside in two rural North Carolina counties. Respondents will be asked to discuss their beliefs about different foods, their knowledge and beliefs about several nutritional categories (e.g., fat, fiber), and the connections between diet and foods and specific physical conditions (e.g., diabetes, cancer). Twelve group interviews will be conducted that include 96 older African American, European American and Native American females and males. Group participants will discuss the investigators' interpretations of food, diet measurement procedures and perform validation tests. Participants will include 120 older African American, European American and Native American males and females. These participants will complete six 24 hour diet recall interviews over a six month period, which will be used to validate the adapted Food Frequency Questionnaire and Meal Pattern Questionnaire.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
6R01AG013469-06
Application #
6627925
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-SNEM-1 (01))
Program Officer
Stahl, Sidney M
Project Start
1996-09-30
Project End
2005-01-31
Budget Start
2003-02-01
Budget End
2004-01-31
Support Year
6
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$244,575
Indirect Cost
Name
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Department
Public Health & Prev Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
937727907
City
Winston-Salem
State
NC
Country
United States
Zip Code
27157
Tooze, Janet A; Vitolins, Mara Z; Smith, Shannon L et al. (2007) High levels of low energy reporting on 24-hour recalls and three questionnaires in an elderly low-socioeconomic status population. J Nutr 137:1286-93
Vitolins, Mara Z; Tooze, Janet A; Golden, Shannon L et al. (2007) Older adults in the rural South are not meeting healthful eating guidelines. J Am Diet Assoc 107:265-272
Quandt, Sara A; Vitolins, Mara Z; Smith, Shannon L et al. (2007) Comparative validation of standard, picture-sort and meal-based food-frequency questionnaires adapted for an elderly population of low socio-economic status. Public Health Nutr 10:524-32
Smith, Shannon L; Quandt, Sara A; Arcury, Thomas A et al. (2006) Aging and eating in the rural, southern United States: beliefs about salt and its effect on health. Soc Sci Med 62:189-98
Bell, Ronny A; Davis, Cralen C; Tooze, Janet A et al. (2006) Consumption of sugar- and fat-modified foods among rural older adults: the Rural Nutrition and Health (RUN) Study. J Nutr Elder 25:23-40
Bell, Ronny A; Vitolins, Mara Z; Arcury, Thomas A et al. (2003) Food consumption patterns of rural older African American, Native American, and white adults in North Carolina. J Nutr Elder 23:1-16
Vitolins, Mara Z; Quandt, Sara A; Bell, Ronny A et al. (2002) Quality of diets consumed by older rural adults. J Rural Health 18:49-56
Arcury, T A; Quandt, S A; Bell, R A (2001) Staying healthy: the salience and meaning of health maintenance behaviors among rural older adults in North Carolina. Soc Sci Med 53:1541-56
Vitolins, M Z; Quandt, S A; Case, L D et al. (2000) Vitamin and mineral supplement use by older rural adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 55:M613-7
McDonald, J; Quandt, S A; Arcury, T A et al. (2000) On their own: nutritional self-management strategies of rural widowers. Gerontologist 40:480-91

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